In an electronic apparatus for realizing a desired function by combining a plurality of units, a judging part judges whether a combination of the plurality of units is to realize the desired function and a power supply control part controls a supply of power from a power source to at least one of the units of the combination used to realize the desired function based on a judgement result of the judging part.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An electronic apparatus, comprising: a judging part judging whether a combination of a plurality of units is to realize a desired function, each unit in said combination of a plurality of units being detachable from said electronic apparatus and exchangeable to a different type unit; and a power supply control part controlling a supply of power from a power source to at least one of said units of said combination used to realize said desired function based on a judgment result of the judging part based on an aspect of simultaneous operation of each unit in said combination of the plurality of units, wherein the judging part comprises: an identification information obtaining part obtaining identification information for identifying from said plurality of units; and an information judging part judging whether said desired function is realized based on the identification information obtained from said plurality of units, wherein said combination of said plurality of units is determined from the identification information.
2. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of units includes at least one device unit reading information and at least one PC card decoding the information read by the device unit, said judging part identifying a type of said device unit and a type of said PC card, and said power supply control part stopping the supply of power to the PC card when said judging part judges that said device unit does not use said PC card.
3. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said power supply control part supplies the power to said PC card when said judging part judges that said PC card is used with the desired device unit, or when said judging part judges that said PC card is used with the desired device unit and the desired device unit is connected to said electronic apparatus, and said power supply control part stops the supply of power to said PC card when said PC card is used with the desired device unit but the desired device unit is not connected to said electronic apparatus.
4. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said power source is a battery unit.
5. An electronic apparatus connectable to a plurality of units including at least one PC card slot and one driver unit, comprising: a judging part judging whether a combination of at least two of said plurality of units is a predetermined combination, each unit in said combination of a plurality of units being detachable from said electronic apparatus and exchangeable to a different type unit; and a power source control part stopping a supply of power to at least one unit in the combination when said judging part judges that the combination is the predetermined combination based on an aspect of simultaneous operation of each unit in said combination of the plurality of units.
6. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said judging part comprises a table storing predetermined combinations of two of said plurality, of units, and said judging part judges whether the combination is one of the predetermined combinations based on the table.
7. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said judging part judges whether or not a combination of said plurality of units is the predetermined combination when the electronic apparatus is turned on or when said plurality of units are connected to the electronic apparatus.
8. A power control apparatus for an electronic apparatus, comprising: a judging part judging whether a combination of a plurality of units is to realize said desired function, each unit in said combination of a plurality of units being detachable from said electronic apparatus and exchangeable to a different type unit; and a power supply control part controlling a supply of power from a power source to said units of said combination used to realize said desired function based on a judgment result of said judging part, wherein said judgment is based on an aspect of simultaneous operation of each unit in said combination of the plurality of units, wherein the judging part comprises: an identification information obtaining part obtaining identification information for identifying from said plurality of units; and an information judging part judging whether said desired function is realized based on the identification information obtained from said plurality of units, wherein said combination of said plurality of units is determined from the identification information.
9. A power control apparatus for an electronic apparatus connectable to a plurality of units including at least one PC card slot and one driver unit, comprising: a judging part judging whether or not a combination of at least two of said plurality of units is a predetermined combination, each unit in said combination of a plurality of units being detachable from said electronic apparatus and exchangeable to a different type unit; and a power control part stopping a supply of power to at least one unit of the predetermined combination when it is judged that the combination is the predetermined combination based on an aspect of simultaneous operation of each unit in said combination of the plurality of units, wherein the judging part comprises: an identification information obtaining part obtaining identification information for identifying from said plurality of units; and an information judging part judging whether said desired function is realized based on the identification information obtained from said plurality of units, wherein said combination of said plurality of units is determined from the identification information.
10. The power control apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said judging part comprises a table storing predetermined combinations of at least two of said plurality of units, and said judging part judges whether the combination of at least two of said plurality of units is one of the predetermined combinations based on the table.
11. The power control apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said judging part judges whether or not said combination of at least two of said plurality of units is the predetermined combination when said electronic apparatus is turned on or when connected to said plurality of units.
12. A method for controlling a supply of power in an electronic apparatus, comprising: judging whether a combination of a plurality of units is to realize a desired function and practicing a judgment result, each unit in said combination of a plurality of units being detachable from said electronic apparatus and exchangeable to a different type unit; and controlling a supply of power from a power source to at least one of said units of said combination used to realize said desired function based on the judgment result, wherein said judgment is based on an aspect of simultaneous operation of each unit in said combination of the plurality of units, wherein said judging comprises: obtaining identification information for identifying from said plurality of units, and judging whether said desired function is realized based on the identification information obtained from said plurality of units, wherein said combination of said plurality of units is determined from the identification information.
13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said plurality of units includes at least one device unit reading information and at least one PC card decoding the information read by the device unit, said judging identifies a type of said device unit and a type of said PC card, and said controlling a supply of power stops the supply of power to the PC card when said judging part judges that said device unit does not use said PC card.
14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said controlling a supply of power comprises: supplying the power to said PC card when said judging judges that said PC card is used with a desired device unit, or when said judging judges that said PC card is used with the desired device unit and the desired device unit is connected to said electronic apparatus, and stopping the supply of power to said PC card when said PC card is used with the desired device unit but the desired device unit is not connected to said electronic apparatus.
15. A method for controlling a supply of power in an electronic apparatus connectable to a plurality of units including at least one PC card slot and one driver unit, each unit in said combination of a plurality of units being detachable from said electronic apparatus and exchangeable to a different type unit, comprising: judging whether a combination of at least two units of said plurality of units is a predetermined combination based on an aspect of simultaneous operation of each unit in said combination of plurality of units; and stopping a supply of power to at least one of said of at least two units in the combination when said judging part judges that the combination is the predetermined combination.
16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said judging judges whether or not said combination of at least two units is the predetermined combination when said electronic apparatus is turned on or when said two units are connected to said electronic apparatus.
17. An electronic judging apparatus for judging whether a combination of a plurality of units is to realize a desired function each unit in said combination of a plurality of units being detachable from said electronic apparatus and exchangeable to a different type unit, comprising: an identification information obtaining part obtaining identification information from each of the units; and an information judging part judging whether the desired function is realized based on the identification information obtained, wherein the combination of the plurality of units is determined from the identification information.
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March 27, 2000
February 7, 2006
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